One of the most aggravating things to me in this world has to be the absolutely rampant anti-intellectualism that dominates so many conversations and debates, and its influence just seems to be expanding. Do you think there will ever actually be a time when this ends? I'd hope so once people become more educated and cultural changes eventually happen, but as of now it honestly infuriates me like few things ever have.
I don’t think anyone’s anti intellectual, people use rhetoric to defend their ideas, to defend their ways, to justify what they’ve already done. If you used your intelligence and started to agree with people, no one would challenge you, you wouldn’t run into anti-intellectual bias.
When you challenge people, or disagree with them, they’re going to use rhetoric against you, and that often is portrayed as anti-intellectual. If they think you’re a threat they’ll attack you by any means possible
While I don’t agree with OP’s view that the world as a whole is anti-intellectual, I also wouldn’t assume that these people don’t exist at all. I’ve personally had interactions with people who thought less of me or others for having a higher level of education, and (at least overtly) not in the sense that they were jealous. It was more of a general antipathy against people who know things / enjoy to learn, because they saw them as arrogant etc.
But this is probably more an example of tribalism.
My dad has a PhD and he’s on his third marriage. Do you think I should ask him life advise? He’s dumb as hell unless you need a complex math problem solved. However, he feels like he can punch above his weight when it comes to other issues. It’s like a pro football player who thinks they could compete in any Olympic sport because they’re good at football.
It seems to be a rather prevalent point of view in some blue-collar circles. You’ll see some of them putting down higher education jobs as “lazy”, and propping their own jobs with long hours and physical work as “real” jobs. I’m thinking there’s some sunken cost going on there, as those same people will complain that their bodies are destroyed by the time they hit 40, somehow not making the link that overworking yourself with 60h might not be great for anyone, them included…